Becky James adds keirin world title to sprint win

Becky James added the keirin world title to yesterday’s sprint victory to become the first British rider in history to score four medals at a single Track World Championships.

Despite tired legs after winning a bronze in the team sprint (with Victoria Williamson), a bronze in the 500-metre time trial and taking the sprint title on Saturday, James cruised through the keirin to grab her second rainbow jersey in Minsk.

“I can’t even tell you. It’s going to take a good week for it to sink in, or two weeks, or a month,” said James after collecting her second rainbow jersey in as many days.

“I just need someone to pinch me and tell me if it’s really happening to me. I feel like it’s a complete dream apart from the pain in my legs.”

James’s second world title has crowned a successful post-London 2012 championships for Britain, where young riders have shown that there’s plenty of talent rising through the ranks to replace retirees Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton.

A total of five world titles have been secured by British riders over the five days of competition in Belarus – amazingly, Simon Yates (points race) and Elinor Barker (team pursuit) have won titles in their debut senior World Championships.

There was no question in Trott’s mind that she had favoured the team pursuit over the omnium: “I wanted to win them both again, but I tried my best and a better rider beat me on the day,” Trott said of Hammer.

“I normally leave it to the 500m. I came here hoping I wouldn’t do that.

“The points race let me down again. She [Hammer] beat me by seven places in the points race and overall by four.”